Means for unitizing produce containers for shipment



Dec. 18, 1962 w. B. CRANE 3,069,007 v MEANS FOR UNITIZING PRODUCECONTAINERS FOR SHIPMENT Filed Aug. 14, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l a V RINVENTOR.

W44 701V 6 CeAwE W a W%% lrraeA/ey Dec. 18 1962 w, CRANE 3,069,007

MEANS FOR UNI'IIZING PRODUCE CONTAINERS FOR SHIPMENT Filed Aug. 14, 19593 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. M14 701V 8. Gen/v5 Dec. 18, 1962 w. B. CRANE7 3,

MEANS FOR UNITIZING PRODUCE CONTAINERS FOR SHIPMENT Filed Aug. 14, 19595 Sheets-Sheet 3 JWENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice 3,069,007 MEANS FOR UNITIZING PRODUCECONTAINERS FOR SHIPMENT Walton B. Crane, South Pasadena, Calif.,assignor to Allied Plastics Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporationof California Filed Aug. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 834,371 6 Claims. (Cl.206-65) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication Serial No. 768,175 filed October 20, 1958, now abandoned andentitled Wrapper for Packaging Produce Containers.

This invention deals generally with handling means for producecontainers and the like and, more particularly, with means for unitizinga group of such containers for shipment.

The invention is concerned with the existing produce container shown anddescribed in my copending application Serial No. 752,477 filed August 1,1958, now Patent No. 2,987,198, and entitled Spacer forProduceContainers. rectangular cardboard structure having side walls, doublepanel end, walls, and a bottom wall. In some cases, the container mayhave a hingeable cover.

, These produce containers are commonly handled in stacked pairs orunits. The pair of containers in each unit are. releasably .joined bymeans of wire couplers which extend between the panels of the containerend walls and through slots in the bottom wall and upper edges of theend walls.

The upper ends of the couplers project above the upper end wall edges ofthe upper container in each unit. When several units are stacked in avertical column, one unit is placed on another in such a way that theupper ends of the couplers on the lower unit engage in the bottom slotsof the upper unit. The units are thereby locked against relativeshifting.

Frequently, for shipment, several columns of container units are stackedin this way and then unitized to form an integral shipping package. Eachpackage or container stack is several columns deep and several columnswide and may, in some cases, be supported on a pallet.

A general object of this invention is -to provide packaging means forunitizing -a stack of produce containers of the character described forshipment.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide.

packaging means of the character described which permits various numbersof produce containers to be packaged.

Another object of the invention is to provide packaging means of thecharacter described which exposes labeled portions of the packagedcontainers to view so as to avoid the necessity of labeling thepackaging means.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide packaging means of thecharacter described which may be compactly and conveniently stored andshipped when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide packaging means of thecharacter described which is inexpensive to manufacture. 7

Yet a further object of the invention is the provision of a containerpackage which is sturdy, has minimum weight, and is otherwise especiallysuited to shippingv by air transport. 7

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will becomeapparent as the description proceeds.

The invention will be best understood from the following detaileddescription thereof taken in connection with the annexeddrawingsywherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a stack of produce Briefly stated,this produce container consists of a containers unitized by one form ofthe present packag- FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the packaging means of FIG. 1 in unfoldedcondition;

FIG. 5 illustrates the manner in which the packaging means of FIG. 4 isassembled on a group of container units;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the pallet on which the container unitsof FIG. 1 are stacked;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the present packagingmeans;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the packaging means of FIG. 7 in unfoldedcondition;

' FIG. 9 is a sectional view through a refrigerated rail-" road freightcar illustrating ing means of the invention; V

FIG. 10 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 10inFIG. 9; p

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view illustrating the manner in which themodified packaging means is applied to produce containers; and

yet another form of packag- FIG. 12 illustrates the modified packagingmeans in unfolded condition.

As preliminarily discussed, the packaging means of this invention isespecially designed for use with one particular type of producecontainer, indicated by the numeral 20. For convenience, thesecontainers are gen-' erally handled in stacked pairs, or units, 21.

Containers 20. are of conventional design. Each container consists of arectangular cardboard structure having.

end walls 22. Each end wall has an outer panel 22a and an inner panel22b.

The two containers 20, when stacked to form a container unit, are joinedby wire couplers 2.4. These couplers are inserted through slots. 25 inthe bottom wall and upper end wall edges and extend between the end wallpanels ZZa and 22b of the containers. The upper end of the couplers 24extend a distance above the upper end wall edges of the upper containerin each unit 21, as may be observed in FIG. 1. When stacking a group ofcontainer units, an upper unit is placed on a lower unit in such a waythat the upper extending ends of the couplers on the lower unit engagein the bottom coupler slots (not shown) in the upper unit. The severalcontainer units in a vertical column are thereby locked against relativeshifting.

The containers and container units' described above are well known inthe art so that no further description thereof is deemed'necessary here.If amore detained description is desired, reference may be had to myaforementioned copending application Serial No. 752,477.

For convenience of handling in shipment, several container units may bestacked on a pallet 26 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Pallet 26 is designedfor lifting by a fork lift truck, for example, and has certain uniquefeatures of construction to be hereinafter described.

As shown in the drawings, the means for joining'the containers 20 in thecontainer stack 30 of FIG. 1 into a unitary package for shipmentcomprises a plurality of wrappers 28. Each wrapper'is made from arectangular blank of suitable material, such as cardboard. The width Wof the blank is approximately equal to twice the length of an individualproduce container 20. Thisblank has a first pair of outer transversescore or fold lines 32 equally spaced from its opposite ends. The blankhas a second pair of inner transverse score or fold lines 34 equallyspaced inwardlyof and parallel to score lines 32.

Patented Dec. 18, 1962 The longitudinal spacing a between the innerscore lines 34 is made approximately equal to N times the Width B of anindividual container 20 where N is the number of container columns whichare arranged side by side, in a crosswise direction of the containers,in the container stack to be packaged. Thus, since the container stackillustrated is three container columns wide, distance A between theinner score lines of the illustrative blank is approximately three timesthe width B of a container 20.

The longitudinal spacing C between the score lines 32 and 34 isapproximately equal to the height D of a single container unit 21. Theouter score lines 32 are spaced a distance E from the end edges of theunitizer.

Blank28, between the inner score line 34, is formed with longitudinallyextending rows of equally spaced transversely aligned slots 36 and 38.Slots 38 comprise notches in the side edges of the blank 28, as shown.

The number of these rows and the number of slots in each row againdepends upon the number of containers which are placed side by side inthe container stack to be packaged. The center spacing F between theslots in each row is approximately equal to the container width B. Eachouter slot is spaced a distance equal to approximately one-half of thecontainer width from the adjacent score line 34.

In use of the present wrapper, a lower layer of container units isplaced on the parallel 26,. In the illustrative. container stack, this.lower layer contains three rows of container units arranged side byside, each row consisting of a pair of container units. arranged inend-to-end fashion with their end walls in contact. When the units arearranged in this fashion, it will be observed that the upper ends of thecouplers on the upper container units in several rows are alignedtransversely of the rows. Also, the upper ends of the. inner or centercouplers in each row are located in close proximity.

A wrapper 28. is, now placed over this lower layer of container units insuch a way that the upper ends of the inner couplers. on the units, thatis, the couplers located at the center of the rows, engage in the centerrow of slots 36 in the wrapper and the upper ends of the outer couplers.engage in the notches 38 in the side edges of the wrapper. The endportions of the wrapper, between the fold lines 32 and 34, define firstinner end flaps which are folded down against the sides of the two outerrows of container units, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5. The endportions of the wrapper between the end edges of the latter and theouter fold lines 32 define second uter end flaps which are foldedbeneath the container units (FIG. 5,), so as to be frictionally heldbetween the units. and the pallet 26. To, this end, the width E of theouter end flaps, is made sufficient to prevent pulling of the latterfrom. beneath the container units.

A second layer of container units is now stacked on top of the firstlayer in such a way that the upper ends of the couplers in the, firstlayer of container units engage in the, bottom coupler slots in thecontainer units of the. second layer. A second wrapper is now placed ontop of the second layer in, the same way as the first Wrapper was placedon the lower layer. The end flaps on the second wrapper are folded downagainst the sides and then beneath the second layer of container unitsin the manner shown. This procedure is repeated until the desired numberof container units are stacked.

Metal binding straps 40 are now passed around the assembly, in themanner shown. The center strap passes between the upper ends of theinner couplers in the container units of the upper layer so as to beretained against. lateral movement. The two outer binding straps extendalong the inner sides of the upper ends of the outer couplers so as tobe held against slipping over the ends of the stack.

The lower side of the pallet 26 has a center pair of planks 42 whichare. spacedv to define a recess 44 therebetween for receiving the centerbinder. The opposite 4 sides of the pallet have brackets 46 whichprevent slipping of the binding straps from the ends of the pallet. Asshown, pallet 26 has upper and lower planked sides which are spaced byblocks '48, so as to define, at each side of the pallet, a pair ofspaces 50 for receiving the forks of a fork lift truck. The pallet may,therefore, be picked up by a fork lift truck from any side.

It will be seen that any number of container units may be stacked andpackaged in the manner described above, each layer of units beingunitized by a wrapper 28. The width and length of the wrapper, theplacement of the slots 36 and notches 38, and the location of the scorelines 32 and 34 may be varied to suit the number of container units tobe packaged.

It will be observed that the ends of the container units are exposed.Accordingly, any identifying labels or advertising matter on the unitsare readily visible so that no identifying labels need be applied to thewrappers themselves. When not in use, the wrappers may be convenientlystored or returned to their point of origin.

The modified packaging means or wrapper 100 of FIGS. 7 and 8 isespecially designed for packaging a small, fixed number of containerunits 21 for so-called belly loading in aircraft. In most cases, eachpackage will consist of a stack 102 of two container units 21 arrangedin end-to-end fashion as illustrated, although other numbers ofcontainer units may be packaged.

As in the previous form of the invention, the wrapper 100 comprises arectangular blank of cardboard or other suitable material. This blankhas a width W approximately equal to the. overall length of the twocontainer units to be packaged.

In use, the, wrapper 100 is folded laterally about the pair of containerunits in such a way that one. end of the blank overlaps the other end ofthe blank above the top boxes of the units in alignment with the wirecouplers 24 on the units in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7. To thisend, the length L of the blank is made somewhat greater than thecircumferential dimension of the container units measured in a planenormal to their length.

To facilitate folding of the wrapper about the container units, thewrapper is provided with a first pair of outer, transverse score or foldlines 104. The spacing H between each of these score lines and theadjacent end of the blank is greater than one-half the width B (FIG. 1)of a container but less than the latter width.

The blank has a second pair of inner transverse score or fold lines 106which are spaced a distance. I from the adjacent outer score lines 104.The distance I is approximately equal to the height D (FIG. 1) of acontainer unit. The spacing J between the inner score lines isapproximately equal to the width B of a container. Clearly, these scorelines are arranged to accommodate folding of the wrapper 100 about thecontainer units in the manner illustrated.

The blank of FIG. 8 is formed with three longitudinally extending rowsof equally spaced, transversely aligned slots 108 and 110. Slots 108comprise notches in the side edges of the blank, as before. The row ofslots 110 is centered crosswise of the blank.

The center ones of the slots 108 and 110 are centered lengthwise of theblank so as to register with the bottom coupler slots (not shown) in thebottom container of the. container units when the wrapper is foldedabout the units.

The outer ones. of the slots 108 and '110 are spaced from the adjacentouter score lines 104 a distance approximately equal to' one-half thewidth B of a container so that when the wrapper is folded, the outerslots on the two ends of the blank are aligned and register with thewire couplers 24 on the container units.

In use of the modified 'wrapper 100, it is folded about the containerunitsv 21 as shown and in such a way that the extending ends of the wirecouplers 24 on the units engage in the aligned outer slots 108 and inthe opposite ends of the wrapper. These wire couplers are then bent flatagainst the wrapper in the manner illustrated to lock the wrapper on thecontainer units.

As mentioned, the center ones of the slots 108 and 110 register with thebottom coupler slots (not shown) in the lower containers of the units.This permits one package of the type shown in FIG. 7 to be stacked ontop of another with the extending ends of the wire couplers on thecontainer units in the lower package (at least some of which couplerswill not be bent as shown in FIG. 7) extending through the center slots108 and 110 in the wrapper of the upper package and the bottom couplerslots in the container units of the latter package.

FIGS. 9-12 illustrate a further modified wrapper which is especiallydesigned to unitize a group of produce containers for the purpose ofloading a railroad freight car in the manner disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 833,760 filed August 14, 1959, now Patent No.2,999,468 and entitled Method and Means for Loading Produce Containersand the Like for Shipment. As described more fully in this lattervapplication, the produce containers or boxes 20 to be shipped arestacked on the floor of the refrigerated freight car 200. A group ofthese containers, at each end of the car, are then joined to form, atthe ends of the car, movable bulkhead means between which the remainderof the containers are confined. In the drawings, the numeral 202 denotesone of these groups of containers which are joined by several of thepresent modified wrappers 204.

Referring to FIG. 12, this wrapper will be seen to comprise arectangular cardboard blank 206, similar to those previously described.This blank has a width W which is somewhat greater than the length of asingle container 20, as may be observed best in FIG. 10. The wrapper isdesigned to be folded about containers, in the manner illustrated in thedrawings, and to this end has a pair of inner fold lines 208 and a pairof outer fold lines 210. The right-hand outer fold line 210 is spacedfrom the adjacent end edge of the blank 206 to define an end flap havinga width M which issomewhat less than one half the width B of a singlecontainer 20 so as to form a flap which can be folded between twoadjacent stacked container units, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9.The width P of the inner flaps defined between the inner and outer foldlines 208 and 210 is approximately equal to the height D of a containerunit 21, so that the flaps can be folded against the sides of containerunits as shown.

Spacing between the inner fold lines 208 is equal to N times the width Bof a single container, where N is the number of containers to :bespanned by the wrapper. In FIGS. 9-11, this number is three. Theleft-hand outer fold line 210 is spaced from the left-hand edge of theblank 206 a distance Q which is somewhat greater than one-half the Widthof a single container. This defines, at the left-hand end of the blank,a second flap which can be folded between adjacent stacked containers,as shown.

The modified wrapper 204 has two rows of slots 212 which are spaced, inthe crosswise direction of the wrapper, to receive the upper extendingends of the couplers 24 on the containers 20.

In the illustrative use of the wrapper for unitizing groups of producecontainers 20 at opposite ends of the freight car 200, wrappers 204 arefolded about upper and lower containers in several container stacks ateach end of the car in the manner illustrated in the drawings.

This is accomplished by firstplacing a pair of wrappers on the floor ofthe car, then placing the lower layer of container units 21 on thiswrapper, and finally folding the end flaps of the wrappers across thetop of the lower layer in such a way that the couplers in one outsiderow of containers in the lower layer engage in the slots in theleft-hand flap of the wrappers. Two additional layers of container unitsare now stacked on this lower layer with the upper extending couplerends on the lower units engaging in the coupler slots in the upperunits. The perforate left-hand flap of a second pair of wrappers 204 isnow placed over the third layer so that the couplers in the outer row ofthe third layer engage in the slots of the perforate flaps of thewrappers. A fourth layer of container units is then placed on the thirdlayer with the extending coupler ends in the third layer engaging in thebottom coupler slots in the fourth layer. -The upper wrappers are thenfolded across the upper side of the upper layer and the imperforateright-hand flaps of the upper wrappers are folded between the third andfourth layers, as shown. The wire couplers 24 extending through theslots 212 in the upper wrappers are then bent over as shown to preventthe wrappers from bulging up under lateral shock.

It will be observed that the wrappers 204 join the group 202 ofcontainers into an integral unit capable of functioning as a relativelymassive, movable bulkhead means for the purpose described.

It will be apparent, therefore, that there has been described andillustrated an unitizer which is fully capa lble of attaining theobjects and advantages preliminarily set forth.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated, various modifications of design and arrangement of partsare possible within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wrapper for unitizing produce containers of the characterdescribed, comprising a generally rectangular blank of flexible materialhaving a pair of outer fold lines approximately parallel to and spacedapproximately equal distances from the opposite end edges of the blankand a pair of inner fold lines between and parallel to said outer foldlines and spaced approximately equal distances from the latter, theportion of said blank between said inner =fold lines being formed with arow of equally spaced slots extending normal to said fold lines alongthe center line of the blank, opposite side edges of the blank havingslots transversely aligned with said firstmentioned slots, and thespacing between the end slots proximate to the ends of the blank and theadjacent inner fold lines being approximately equal to one-half thespacing between adjacent slots.

2. A shipping package comprising a rectangular pallet, .a plurality ofcontainer units stacked on said pallet to form a rectangular containerstack, each unit comprising a pair of stacked rectangular boxes and wirecouplers extending between the pair of boxes at their ends andprojecting above the normally upper edge of the upper box, said unitsbeing stacked in a series of layers each including a plurality ofside-by-side rows of container units arranged in end-to-end fashion, theprojecting ends of the couplers on the units in one layer being receivedin bottom slots in the units in the adjacent upper layer, a wrapperinserted between each layer and overlying the lower layer, each wrappercomprising a rectangular blank having rows of slots through which thecouplers on the underlying layer of container units extend, oppositeends of each blank being folded'against opposite sides of its underlyinglayer of units and then beneath the latter layer, and flexible bindingstraps passing around said pallet and the uppermost Wrapper.

3. A shipping package comprising a rectangular stack of container units,each unit comprising a pair of stacked, rectangular boxes and wirecouplers extending between the boxes at their ends and projecting abovethe normally upper edge of the upper box, a wrapper folded about saidstack and having opposite ends overlapping above the top boxes of thestack in alignment with the wire couplers extending above thelatter'boxes, said overlapping ends having aligned slots receiving saidlatter couplers.

4. The subject matter of claim 3 wherein said. latter couplers arefolded flat against the normally upper side of said wrapper.

5. A wrapper for unitizing produce containers of the characterdescribed, comprising a generally rectangular blank of flexible materialhaving a pair of outer fold lines approximately parallel to and spacedfrom the opposite end edges of the blank and a pair of inner fold linesbetween and parallel to said outer fold lines and spaced approximatelyequal distances from the latter fold lines, said fold lines defining aninner flap and an outer flap at each end of the blank, said blank beingformed with two rows of long, narrow slots extending normal to the foldlines, the slots in the several rows extending lengthwise of theirrespective rows and being aligned transversely of the latter, each rowhaving three equally spaced slots centered between the inner fold linesand one slot in one end flap which is spaced from the adjacent outerfold line a distance equal to the spacing between the inner fold lineand the adjacent one of the slots between said inner fold lines.

6. A wrapper for unitizing produce containers of the characterdescribed, comprising a generally rectangular blank of flexible materialhaving a pair of outer fold lines approximately parallel to and spacedapproximately equal distances from the opposite end edges of the blankand a pair of inner fold lines between and parallel to said outer foldlines and spaced approximately equal distances from the latter, saidblank being formed with container coupling means comprising equallyspaced rows of equally spaced slots extending normal to the fold lines,the slots in the several rows extending lengthwise of their respectiverows and being aligned transversely of the latter, there being threeslots in each row, the intermediate slot in each row being locatedapproximately midway between said inner fold lines, the end slots ineach row being located between said outer fold lines and the ends of theblank, respectively, and the spacing between each outer fold line andthe adjacent end slots being substantially equal to the spacing betweeneach inner fold line and the intermediate slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

